The Smithfield Sentinels are taking a road trip to face off against the Prout Crusaders at 3:00 p.m. on Monday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Smithfield has three straight wins, Prout has three straight defeats), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
Smithfield lost a heartbreaker the last time they played Cumberland, but it's fair to say they got their revenge given the result of Wednesday's match. The Sentinels never let the Clippers get on the board and left with a 10-0 victory on Wednesday. The result was nothing new for the Sentinels, who have now won three contests by nine runs or more so far this season.
Crystal Cacador made a big impact no matter where she played. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out six over four innings pitched. Cacador was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-4.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Sophia Parrillo, who scored a run while going 2-for-3. What's more, she posted three RBI, the most she's had since back in April of 2024. Joy Matteson was another key player, scoring a run while going 3-for-3.
Smithfield always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .548. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their OBP total in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Prout might've scored the first runs on Thursday, but it was East Providence who claimed the real prize. The Crusaders came up short against the Townies, falling 8-2. Having soared to a lofty 11 runs in the game before, the Crusaders couldn't push the score so high this time.
Emma Manzo was cooking despite her team's loss, scoring a run and stealing two bases while going 3-for-4. Rachel Dias also deserves some recognition as she hit her first double of the season.
Prout now has a losing record of 2-3. As for Smithfield, their record is now 3-1.
Monday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Smithfield hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .408. However, it's not like Prout struggles in that department as they've averaged .319. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Smithfield couldn't quite get it done against Prout when the teams last played back in May of 2024 as they fell 4-1. Can the Sentinels avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
